John Browett masqueraded as an ordinary salesman, The Daily reveals its subscriber numbers, and a former Apple product manager unveils the not-so-secret secrets of the iPhone’s development. Ignore the remainders for Friday, February 3, 2012 behind the curtain.

Say what you will about Apple’s new retail chief, former Dixons CEO John Browett, but the man’s got some chops: He reportedly went undercover as Joe Salesman in one of the chain’s locations, helping customers buy a TV. So watch out next time you go to an Apple Store and the specialist’s name tag says “Don Mowett.”

You may best remember former Apple product manager Bob Borchers from his stint in iPhone Guided Tour videos back in 2007, but the man wasn’t just a pretty face reminiscent of Stephen Colbert. In a talk at a California school, Borchers said that Steve Jobs tasked them with creating the first phone that people would really love. For which I think I can safely say, you did your job, Bob—but you may have done it a little too well.

News Corp’s launched-on-the-iPad publication, The Daily, is celebrating its first year of operation. So far, The Daily has more than 100,000 paid subscribers, roughly half of which pay for a $1 weekly subscription, while the other half pay $40 per year. Sadly, none have yet taken the Rupert Murdoch-owned publication up on its new complimentary voicemail service.

Apple is apparently enabling Genius recommendations for TV shows and movies on the Apple TV, because Macworld can confirm the options are appearing in the device’s menu, with no need for an update. Now if only it would stop telling me I should watch 27 Dresses. Again.